Differential mechanism



W. A. JEX. DIFFERENTML MECHAMSM. APPLICATION man mm3. ma

L,366,805, Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

aww/nego W. A. JEX.

DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM.. APPucAnou mi wur?. m9.

posed in the notches 12, the pawls will be out of engagement with he notches 13 and riding upon the pe rheries of the ratchets.

In operation, if the driving member or Acasing 1 is rotating 1n a clockwise direction l"rock shaft 16 so as to move pawl 20 carried thereby relative to ratchet 11 vuntil it projrects into one of the notches 13 therein. -his effects a braking action upon the l ratchet 11 and the driving axle 7 so that these parts cannot rotate ahead of the casin 1. As soon as the vehicle has made the turn and both wheels are traveling at the same rate of speed, the pawl 20 carried by the shaft 16 will become disengaged from the notch 13 in the ratchet 11 and the pawl 18'wi1l enga e one of the notches 12 in the ratchet 10, tiereby insuring equal traction upon both driving Wheels.

In case one of the driving wheels of the vehicle engages av mud hole or soft plaonejn the road as the vehicle is going stra" ahead and this wheel starts to race, aforementioned braking action will be e'ected upon the other driving wheel to.

that all the tractive power will be applied. to the latter until the vehicle passes through the mud hole.

When the vehicle is backing, the casing 1 will necessarily be rotated in a reverse dil rection from that heretofore explained and the awls 20 will be in engagement with the note es 13 of the ratchets 10 and 11. Should the vehicle make aturn while running back-f4 ward or should one oi the driving wheels' `strike a soft lace so as to cause it to nota'te ahead of the riving member, the other driving wheel will be locked against rotating faster than said drivin members. From the foregoing escription,i taken in connection with the accompanyinguldxawings, it will be seen that the objects of. the' invention have been effectively carried out. However as various changes in form, proportion, and in the minor deta'lsfofzoon 'struction may be resorted to ,withoutdepare ing from the spirit of the invention,.-ilt' is to be understood that I do not wish t be limit' ed to the exact construction heri'n shown and described.

.I claim:

1. A differential mechanismincluding -a rotatable driving member,-a pair of rotatable driven members, driving means carried by said driving member and engageable with said driven members to drive said driven members in one direction, and driv ing means carried b said driving member engageable with said driven members to drive said driven members inv the 'other d1- rection, the two said means being arranged and operatively connected so that when one driven member is rotating faster than said driving member one of said driving means will retain driving engagement with the other driven member and the other driving means will be moved into engagement wit the other driven member so as to prevent the latter from rotating faster than driving member. il

2. A differential mechanism including a rotatable driving member, a pair of rotatable driven members, driving means carried by said driving member and engageable with said driven members to drive one driven member in one direction and the other driven member in the other direction, and additional driving means carried bv said driving member and engageable wit said driven members to drive one driven member in one direction and the other driven member in the other direction, the two said driving means being arranged to drive said driven members in opposite directions and being operative independentlyA of each otherQ whereby to cause power t0 be supplied to one of said driven members whi e the other driven member is rotating faster than the driving member and to simultaneously prevent the first driven member from moving faster than said driving member.

3. A differential mechanism including a -rotatable driving member, a pair of rotatable driven members each carrying oppositely formed ratchets, a pair of rock shafts can ried by said driving member, and a pair of oppositely extending pawls carried by each of said rook shafts, one pawl of each shaft` l, b eingengageable with a ratchet of 1one of said'driven members and the-other bein teliga'geable with' the oppositely forme ratchet of the other driven member, the

palvvlsofeach air being positioned upon thelrshats so t at when one disengages its ratchet the other will engage its ratchet,

j whereby when one driven member is rotating ahead of said driving member a brakeach carrying oppo-` said izo

ing. action will be effected on the other in engagement with their respective ratoh ets, and additional pawls yeldzthy mounted upon Said shafts und adapted to engage the remaining opposlitely formed ratohets on said driven members, the pewis on each shaft being positioned so that when engages its ratchet the other will engage its one disratchet, whereby when one is rotating ahead braking uctlon W1 driven member.

1n testimony whereof have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM A. J EX. 

